By Duncan Mackay
April 10 – Former FIFA President Joao Havelange is back in intensive care suffering from heart and breathing problems, with doctors describing his condition as “serious”.
The 95-year-old Brazilian’s health deteriorated overnight after “cardiac and respiratory insufficiency,” Dr. Joao Mansur Filho of Samaritano Hospital in Rio de Janeiro said in a statement.
He said Havelange is breathing with a ventilator and his blood pressure is being controlled with medication.
“During the night the patient had a cardiac failure and respiratory and had to return to the coronary care unit,” said Filho.
“The clinical status of [the patient] is serious.”
Havelange was originally taken to hospital on March 18 for septic arthritis, a serious bacterial infection that affects joints.
But he responded well to antibiotics and had been out of intensive care for the past week.
Havelange had been breathing without a ventilator since his first week in hospital.
He successfully underwent three drainage procedures on his right ankle to help control the infection, which can spread quickly if not treated immediately.
Havelange led FIFA from 1974 until 1998 but remains an honorary President.
He resigned from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) late last year, citing undisclosed health reasons.
His resignation meant he avoided a possible suspension for allegedly taking kickbacks from former FIFA marketing partner ISL.
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